Are Christmas turkeys the priority when it comes to avian flu? - Yorkshire Post Letters

In reference to your article "Uncertain winter as flu fear brings birds indoors" published November 9, 2022.

The UK is witnessing its biggest ever avian flu outbreak ever, and its decimating populations of commercial flocks and wild birds alike. As reported in your article “Uncertain winter as bird flu brings birds indoors” Yorkshire Swan, and other wildlife rescue centres have stopped taking in injured birds in order to stop the spread of the disease, and 5.5 million birds have already been culled.

The origins of avian flu HPA1 have been traced back to a commercial goose farm in China in 1996. Over the years it’s spread into wild bird populations around the world killing millions of birds.

Since then intensive farming has been increasingly normalised, due to wealthy countries demanding more and more cheap meat with the global population of poultry multiplying over six times from 5.7 million to 36 million.

These massive, cramped livestock populations provide the perfect breeding grounds for spreading infectious diseases, both within the factories themselves - and ultimately to the wildlife outside.

What’s the public response to this terrible news? Are we asking how we can prevent further outbreaks of avian flu? Are we scared about the effect it’s having on wildlife? Are we discussing whether animals should be treated more humanely? Are we thinking about reducing the amount of meat we eat?

Nope. Seems most of us are worried about the potential shortages of Christmas turkeys.

As reported in the article, a Defra Minister admitted that Christmas dinner “could be affected”, as billions of turkeys are culled. But he insisted there would be no reason to panic buy, reassuring the public that our “resilient supply chain ”can cope with the outbreak.” According to the Environmental Minister “the situation for Christmas turkeys is there, or thereabouts OK”.

Phew, that’s OK then.